I am beyond excited to announce the newest installment of Top Chef, which takes place in our nation's capital this season and premieres June 16.

Our favorite Top Chef faces will be returning to critique and judge this new batch of chef'testants: Tom Colicchio, who was recently given the 'Outstanding Chef' award from the James Beard Foundation; Gail Simmons of Food & Wine Magazine, not to mention she'll be bringing her fabulous rack along for the ride; and crush-worthy host and new baby mama Padma Laksmi returns as the show's host.

As for new faces, the snarky Brit judge Toby Young will be replaced with the highly talented French chef (and total hunk) Eric Ripert, whom we've seen as a guest judge in past seasons.

Season seven will welcome 17 new chef'testants from all over the nation to battle it out for the grand prize of $125,000, a feature in Food & Wine Magazine, a showcase at the Annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen and the coveted title of "Top Chef." (See the lineup below.)

This article appears in May 13-19, 2010.